SURGICAL OBLITERATION OF BONE CAVITIES FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC OSTEOMYELITIS

¹ Orthopaedic Section, Crile General Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio

A method of treatment has been described for the obliteration of large bone cavities, following traumatic osteomyelitis in compound fractures. This method consists of three stages: (1) adequate sequestreectomy; (2) application of split-skin graft; and (3) excision of the initial skin graft, application of bone chips, and transfer of a full-thickness skin graft.

Thus far, of the twenty-three cases reported, the wounds in all but two cases have entirely healed. Bone sepsis has been eradicated in all cases of the series; and in all, the defects have been eliminated. There has been no sequestration of any of the chips, and no roentgenographic evidence of osteomyelitis following the insertion of the bone chips. In the two cases in which healing is not complete, the bone defects have been eliminated, bony union is solid, but the soft-tissue healing is not sound, because of error in the skin-graft technique, resulting in inadequate blood supply. Careful planning of the full-thickness skin-grafting will ensure sound healing.

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